Knitted fabrics and the manufacture thereof



March 12, 1935. s. A. WEL CH EIAL KNITTED FABRICS AND THE MANUFACTURETHEREOF Filed Odt. 5, 1932 FIG-2.'.

Fig-1- SIDNEY A. THOMAS Patented Mar. 12, 1935 i f 1 ,993',7 66

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE KNITTED FABRICS AND THE MANUFAC- TURE THEREOF Sidney Arthur Welch and Thomas Sills, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignors to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application October 5, 1932, Serial No. 636,296 In Great Britain October 19, 1931 15 Claims. (ones-195) This invention relates to knitted fabrics and manner. After being knitted into one Wale, each their manufacture, and in particular to. warp thread of one thread bar is drawn through a space knitted fabrics. 1 1 between two needles, moved to the right across The object of the invention is to produce a one needle, drawn back through another pair of fabric of woven appearance in which the usual needles and then knitted. The thread is then 5 characteristics of warp knitted fabrics are more moved forward through the same space through or less suppressed and replaced by a grained which it was drawn back, moved to the right effect. In the production of warp knitted fabrics, again, drawn back and knitted. The thread is v a series of threads is fed by means of a number then moved to the left behind one needle, then 10. of guides to a series of needles. The needles are forward between two needles, moved to the left operated simultaneously at each course to knit across one needle again, drawn back and knitted. the threads into the fabric, after which the thread Following this the thread is again moved forward guides are moved to lap the threads over new through the space by which it last moved back, needles prior to the knitting of the next course. moved to the left once more, drawn back, and The motion of the guides comprises a forward knitted again, after which it is moved to the right 15 motion of the guides between the needles, a crossbehind the needles and the cycle recommences. wise motion which crosses the thread in front of This sequence of Operations i Preferably P the beard of each needle and a rearward motion formed upon the front set of threads on the mabetween the needles, these three motions being chine, that is to say, the set of threads which ulti- .20 sometimes preceded by 'a cross-wise motion across mately forms the back of the fabric, though in the back of the needles. ordinary warp knitted fabrics, this side is usually The warp knitted fabric according to the inregarded as the face of the fabric.

vention is produced from two sets of warp threads, Each thread of the back series of threads, which one of which, instead of moving regularly across produces the foregoing effect of the invention,

the needles at successive courses, is periodically and ultimately forms the front of the fabric, is 2 moved forward and back between needles withpassed between two needles, moved to the right, out an intermediate cross-wise motion. As a'reand back, and knitted, is then moved past three sult, the threads which are passed between neeneedles behind the needles, and forward and back dles in both directions without an intermediate without an intermediate cross-wise motion, after cross-wise motion are not lapped across the which knitting takes place, but not upon the beards of the needles and in consequence are not threads of this set, which are nevertheless locked knitted into the fabric in the exact sense of the into position by the crossing 'over them of the term knitted, that is to say, are not drawn threads of the other set. The threads are then down by the needles to form loops, but are laid moved past three needles to the left, forward, to

in the fabric, and secured by the crossing of the the left, and back; and knitted, and then behind 35 threads of the other set. The complete structure three needles to the left, fo w and back, after of the fabric is preserved by the fact that at every which knitting takes place. The threads then course, one of the two. series of warp threads used move past three needles to the right behind the are always properly drawn down into loops and needles, and the cycle recommences.

40 knitted. Preferably the in and out motion of the It will be seen that each complete cycle of each 40 thread guides between needles is preceded by a set of threads covers a sequence of eight betweencross-wise motion of considerable extent across needle movements and four courses of knitting, the back of the needles, i. e. a motion crossing there being a forward and a backward betweenmore than one needle, and in this case it is prefneedle motion for each knitting course. Each erable to relieve the tension of the threads taking thread of the front set of threads has a sideways 45 pa t i the considerable movement. By a suitmotion across four needle spaces and is knitted able disposition of successive motions of the in three wales, while each thread of the back set thread guides successively to and fro through the has a sideways motion across six of such spaces, same between-needle space, resulting in the missbut is only knitted into one Wale, being laid-in ing of wales by such threads, a very pleasing the fabric and secured by the crossing over the grained surface can be produced on the fabric. threads of the otherset. All the threads of each set, of course, perform the The cycles above described may be represented same movements. by a sequence of numbers, each referring to the One form of warp knitted fabric according to needle spaces between which the threads are the invention may be produced in the following passed alternately forward and back, knitting tak 55 after each forward and backwardmotion. Thus for the front bar, the threads follow a sequence 1:2; 2:3; 2:1; 1:0. Thus the threads are drawn forward through space 1, across to space 2, and back, and are knitted; forward through space 2, across to space 3, and back, and are knitted, across to space 2, forward, across to space 1, and back, and are knitted; forward through space 1, across to space 0, and back, and are knitted, after which the cycle is repeated. Meanwhile the threads of the back bar follow a motion expressed by the series 2:3; 5:5; 3:2; 0:0. That is, the threads move forward through space 2, across to space 3, and back, and are knitted; across to space 5, forward and back through space 5, after which knitting takes place though not upon these threads, since they have not been crossed in front of the beards of the needles between the forward and backward motion. The threads then move across to space 3, forward, across to space 2, and back, and are knitted; across to space 0, forward, and back, after which knitting takes place, and then across to space 2, after which the cycle recommences.

It is to be understood that the invention is in no way limited to fabrics embodying the particular sequence of thread movement specified above, and that modifications can be made in the amount of lapping taking place behind the needles prior to passing in and out between the needles, and, generally, in the knitting sequence which may take place before repetition occurs. Thus for example, a different form of fabric can be produced by displacing the cycle of one bar with respect to the cycle of the other. Taking the sequence given above, this may be replaced in the second bar by a sequence 0:0; 2:3; 5:5; 3:2. The result of this change is that when the threads of one set are in their mean position, the threads of the other set are to one side of the mean position. It is preferred, however, as in the example as first given, that the threads should be at their mean positions at the same time before they move sideways from their mean position, either in the same direction or in opposite directions, but preferably in opposite directions.

Other examples of sequences which may be carried out are as follows. A cycle which gives successful results involves a motion of the front bar in the sequence 1:2; 2:3; 2:1; 1:0; and of the back bar in the sequence 2:3; 5:5; 2:3; 5:5.

The front bar sequence of this, and of most of the fabrics according to the invention, may be modified by reversing the numbers of one or more pairs of between-needle motions. Thus the front bar sequence 1:2; 2:3; 2:1; 1:0 may be changed to 1:2; 3:2; 2:1; 0:1. The above modifications all extend over at least three wales, and over four courses of knitting, and to produce a well marked effect, this magnitude of motion is preferred. The wales or courses, however, may be made finer by reducing the magnitude of the wale motion, or the number of courses to the repeat respectively. Thus, if a rather smooth, fine grained fabric is desired, the front bar may follow a sequence 2:1; 1:0, and the back bar a sequence 1:1; 2:3. It will be seen here again, that the back bar moves forward and back through the same space 1 without an intermediate cross-wise motion prior to knitting.

A very great number of difierentcycles of mo tion having different characteristics may be put into practice on the lines described above. Thus, a given front bar sequence and a given back bar 1,998,766 ing place after each pair of numbers, that is,

sequence may be used in a number of different ways by starting at different points of the sequence in the manner previously described. Further, as also described above, the sequence may be modified by interchanging the numbers of one or more pairs of the sequence, or, in the case of symmetrical cycles, by repeating the first or the second half to produce a new cycle. Again the-number of possible sequences is greatly multiplied by the possibility of using different back bar sequences for a given front bar sequence. Thus for example, the front bar sequence 1:2; 2:3; 2:1; 1:0, or any of its variations may be used either in connection with the symmetrical back bar sequence 2:3; 5:5; 3:2; 0:0, or in connection with the first half of that cycle repeated, i. e. 2:3; 5:5; 2:3 5:5, or alternating with the short sequence 2:3;1:1,toform anew sequence 2:3; 5:5; 2:3; 1:1. Further, these sequences may be changed during knitting to give pattern effects or to produce a coarser surface effect in any desired manner.

In all of these modifications the common principle of the invention is retained, that the threads of one bar should be carried across and behind the needles, lapped into the fabric without knitting and held by the crossing of the threads of the other set. The effects generally produced in fabrics according to the invention may range from a smooth serge-like effect of relatively fine figure to a coarse rep effect, and form a crepe-like effect of any degree of fineness to the effect of a fine pile fabric, produced by short, free loops of thread on the surface of the fabric.

The fabric according to the invention may be knitted from any suitable kind of yarn. For example it may be knitted from yarns, either matt or lustrous, consisting of wool, cotton, silk, artificial materials such as cellulose actate or other organic derivatives of cellulose, or viscose, cuprammonium, or nitrocellulose artificial silk. Further, the yarns may consist of staple fibres of continuous filaments such as natural silk or cellulose actate or other artificial materials as mentioned above. Again, more than one kind of yarn may be employed in the fabric; for example diiferent yarnsmay be employed in the front and back sets respectively, e. g., matt yarns in one set, and lustrous yarns in the other.

Again, the face of the fabric may be knitted with cellulose acetate yarn while the back of the fabric is knitted with wool. The invention is, however, more especially applicable to the production of fabrics from continuous filament yarns, such as for example cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative yarns, such fabrics possessing a fine structure as well as the distinctive grained appearance characteristic of the invention. If desired the yarns employed may have a high or very high twist, such as crepe twist in order to exaggerate the grainy effect on the face of the fabric due to the sideways positions of the knitted loops'and the combined action of the two sets of threads in the fabric.

Two forms of fabric according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that this description is given by way of example only and is not in any respect limitative.

Figures 1 and 2 show diagrammatically, views of two fabrics according to the invention, these views showing what is normally the back of the fabric, but in the present instance is to be regarded as the face.

Figs. 3 and 4 show diagrammatically the move 76 ments of the thread guides necessary to produce the fabrics shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. y In Figure 1 the threads of the front bar, which are shown corded, perform the movement indicated by the numbers 2:1;223; 3:4; 3:2; while the threads of the back bar, which are shown plain carry out the movement :0; 2:3; 5:5; 3:2. At the bottom of the figure two threads 5, 6 are shown, the thread 5'being a front bar thread, shown corded, while the thread 6 is a back bar thread and is shown plain. The two free threads clearly show the individual course of the threads, while the complete section of fabric indicated above, having a series of front bar threads 7, and a series of back bar threads 8, shows the interrelationship between the threads as two series of threads. The threads 8 are laid in the fabric at points 9 and 10 and it' will beseen that after this laying inv movement has been completed, floats of the corded threads 7 cross over the soformed loops at 11 and 12, and hold the loops in position. The points 9 represent the laying in movement 0:0 of the threads 8 while the points 10 represent the laying in movement 5:5, each thread being passed through the same space in successive between-needle motions, i. e. both in the motion in and in the motion out. It will also be observed'that alternate rows of loops indicated at 13 consist of threads 7 and 8 of both bars, while the other rows shown at 14 consist only of the corded thread 7, the plain threads 8 during this course being laid in as at 9 and 10 and not knitted into the fabric. J

In Figure 2 a somewhat simpler fabric is illustrated in which the threads of the front bar, shown corded at16, carry out the movement indicated by the numbers 1:0; 2:1; while threads of the rear bar, shown plain at 17, carry out the movement 1:2; 0:0. As in Figure 1, a single plain thread 18 of the back bar and a single corded thread 19 of the front bar are shown at the bottom of the figure to indicate the individual movements of the thread. Again as in Figure 1 the plain threads are laid in" the fabric at points indicated at 20', and a float thread of the front bar subsequently passes over each of the loops so formed as illustrated at 21. Furthermore, in the courses 22, threads of both front .and back bars are knitted into the fabric, while in the courses 23 only the threads of the front bar are knitted in, the threads of the back bar being laid in" as at 20.

Fig. 4 shows the thread guide tracks for the fabric shown in Fig. 2, in the same way as Fig. 3 shows thosein connection with Fig. 1. The laying in movements are shown at 20' and the lapping in front of the needles at 22 and 23', corresponding respectively to the loops 22 and 23 of Fig. 2.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. A warp knitted fabric comprising at least two sets of warp threads, at least one of which has its threads knitted into some courses, and

laid into others, each of such threads crossing wales of the fabric between successive points at which it is knitted or laid in, the threads of another set being knitted into the courses at which the threads of the one set are laid in.

2. A warp knitted fabric comprising atleast two sets of warp threads, at least one of which.

has its threads knitted into alternate courses, and laid into intervening courses, each'of such threads crossing wales of the fabric between suc- 2'8 cessive points at which it is knitted or laid in,

the threads of another set being knitted into the the courses at which the threads of the one set are laid in.

3. A warp knitted fabric comprising at least two sets of warp threads,at least one of which has its threads knitted into some courses, and laid into others, each of such threads crossing wales of the fabric between successive points at which it is knitted or laid in, the threads of another set being knitted into every course.

4. A warp knitted fabric comprising at least two sets of warp threads, at least one of which 'has its threads knitted into some courses, and

laid into others, each of such threads crossing at least two wales of the fabric in opposite directions in proceeding to and from each point at which it is laid in, the threads of another set being knitted into the courses at which the threads of the one set are laid in.

5. A warp knitted fabric comprising at least two sets of warp threads, at least one of which has its threads knitted into alternate courses, and laid into intervening courses, each of such threads crossing at least two wales of the fabric in opposite directions in proceeding to and from each point at which it is laid in, the threads of another set being knitted into. the courses at which the threads of the one set are laid in.

6. A warp knitted fabric comprising at least two sets of warp threads, at least one of which has its threads knitted into some courses, and laid into others,'such threads being slacker than the remainder, and crossing wales of the fabric between successive points at which they are knitted or laid in, the threads of another set being knitted into the courses at which the threads of the one set are laid in. v

7. A warp knitted fabric comprising at least two sets of warp threads, at least one of which has its threads knitted into alternate courses, and laid into intervening courses, each of such threads crossing at least two wales of the fabric in opposite directions in proceeding to and from each point at which it is laid in, such threads being slacker than the remainder, the threads of another set being knitted into the courses at which the threads of the one set are laid in.

8. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into some courses, and, after lapping, passing said threads through the needles and back at other'courses so as to lay them into the fabric and knitting the threads of another of said sets into the courses in which the threads of the one set are laid.

9. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into alternate courses, and, after lapping, passing said threads through the needles and back at intervening courses so as to lay them into the fabric and knitting the threads of another of said sets into the courses in which the threads of the one set are laid.

10. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into some courses, and, after lapping, passing said threads through the needles and back at other courses so as to lay them into the fabric and knitting the threads of another of said sets into every course.

11. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into some courses, and passing said threads through the needles and back at other courses so as to lay them into the fabric, such threads being lapped over at least two wales in opposite directions before and after being so laid in, and knitting the threads of another of said sets in every course.

12. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into alternate courses, and passing said threads through the needles and back at intervening courses so as to lay them into the fabric, such threads being lapped over at least two wales in opposite directions before and after being so laid in, and knitting the threads of another of said sets into every course.

13. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into some courses, and, after lapping, passing said threads through the needles and back at other courses so as to lay them into the fabric, such threads being fed more slackly than the rest, and knitting the threads of another of said sets into the courses in which the threads of the one set are laid.

14. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into some courses, and passing said threads though the needles and back at other courses so as to lay them into the fabric, such threads being lapped over at least two wales in opposite directions before and after being so laid in, and being fed more slackly than the rest, and knitting the threads of another of said sets into every course.

15. A process for the production of warp knitted fabrics, comprising knitting at least two sets of warp threads, knitting the threads of at least one of said sets into alternate courses, and pass-'- ing said threads through the needles and back at intervening courses so as to lay them into the fabric, such threads being lapped over at least two wales in opposite directions before and after being so laid in, and being fed more slackly than the rest, and knitting the threads of another of said sets into every course.

SIDNEY ARTHUR WELCH. THOMAS S1115.

CERTEFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,993, 766. March 12. 1935.

SIDNEY ARTHUR WELCH, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, first column, after line 52. insert the following paragraph:

Figs. 3 and 4 show diagrammatically the movements of the thread guides nec to produce the fabrics shown in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively. Page 4, first column, line 9, claim 11, for "in" read into; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform t the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of April, A. D. 1935.

essary Leslie Frazer 1 (Seal) Acting Commissionerof Patents. 

